A shady path near Aldenham

How to find us The pink pin on the map below shows the meeting location by the ticket machines outside Radlett Station. Look for our Meetup sign.

Summary

A Sunday hike in shady woodland and open countryside in a largely undeveloped area of Hertfordshire Green Belt countryside around Aldenham, between Watford and Radlett with a pub stop at lunch time. This is a joint event between South Herts Hikers and South Herts Footpath Society.

Join like-minded outdoor enthusiasts and hikers to discover scenic trails, woodland and open countryside in a largely undeveloped area of Hertfordshire Green Belt countryside around Aldenham, between Watford and Radlett, including part of the Ver-Colne Valley Walk and the Abbott Trail.

Whether you’re a seasoned hiker or a beginner, this 8.6 mile (13.8 km) hike is perfect for exploring historic trails. It starts and ends at Radlett Station, accessible by train from Luton, St Albans, Elstree or London St Pancras or by bus from Hatfield, St Albans or Watford.

HOW TO SIGN UP

We limit numbers on our walks and they are sometimes fully booked so to be sure of a place, it is advisable to sign up, either on Meetup or you can get a ticket on Eventbrite. Although it is free to sign up on Meetup or Eventbrite, we do invite a donation to cover Group running costs, see below.

WHERE TO MEET

Meet 10:30 for 10:45 start by the ticket machines outside Radlett Train Station, Station Approach, Watling Street, Radlett, Herts WD7 7AJ.

Nearest post code WD7 7AJ
Lat/Long (WGS84): 51.68519,-0.31724
OSGB Grid Reference: TQ164998

What3Words https://w3w.co/prefer.fired.proper

HIKE DESCRIPTION:

From Radlett along part of the Ver-Colne Valley walk and the Abbott Trail to Aldenham with a lunch stop at the Roundbush pub. Continue via Letchmore Heath back to Radlett. Total distance is 8.6 miles (13.8 km) with slight hills, total 58 metres (190 ft) ascent and descent. About 80% of the route is on public bridleways, restricted byways and public footpaths in the countryside with about 20% in a built-up area in Radlett. The public rights of way in this area have been much improved in recent years and they are generally well maintained. We plan to finish the hike by 16:45 or earlier.

HIKING MAP:

O.S. ‘Explorer’ 1:25,000 scale, Sheets 173 London North and 182 St Albans & Hatfield.

ONLINE MAP:

There is a map of the route in the photo album for this event. This is a well tried and tested route that was devised by South Herts Hikers and we have also uploaded it to Wikiloc with 27 photos. See:

https://www.wikiloc.com/hiking-trails/radlett-aldenham-ver-colne-valley-walk-v3-119655761

You can select map or aerial view (OpenStreetmap recommended) and you can zoom in. Navigating the trail outdoors using the Wikiloc app needs the premium version but you can also set up a free Wikiloc login then download a .GPX or .kml file to a mobile device to use with a GPS app such as OSMand, Komoot, All Trails, Outdoor Active, Organic Maps or Google Maps.

PLACES OF INTEREST

Wall Hall Estate footpath map http://www.pgbt.org.uk/promotion/aldenham-2013-hcc-wall-hall-estate-leaflet.pdf

PUBLIC TRANSPORT TO MEETING LOCATION:

Train from London St Pancras International (STP) 09:35 or 10:08, calls at Kentish Town, West Hampstead Thameslink, Cricklewood, Brent Cross West, Hendon, Mill Hill Broadway, Elstree & Borehamwood to Radlett (RDT) at 10:05 or 10:35. We will wait for the 10:35 train.

Train from Luton (LUT) 09:45 or 10:06, calls at Luton Airport Parkway, Harpenden, St Albans City, to Radlett (RDT) at 10:08 or 10:35. We will wait for the 10:35 train.

Bus 602 to Radlett from Hatfield, St Albans, London Colney, Bushey, Watford. Hike starts and finishes at Radlett Station.

By bus - for Hertfordshire bus services see Intalink https://www.intalink.org.uk/

Bus 602 from Hatfield Railway Station Stop 2, 08:39 via St Albans, London Colney, Shenley to Radlett Watling Street Rec. Ground 09:59.

Bus 602 from Watford High Street, Stop F, 09:47 to Radlett Watling Street Rec. Ground 10:14.

CAR PARKING NEAR MEETING LOCATION:

Hertsmere Borough Council public car park, Newberries, 367 Watling Street, Radlett, WD7 7JH is very near the station and free on Sundays. The station car park is not recommended as it is for rail passengers only and it is not free on Sundays.

WHAT TO BRING

Much of the route is on public bridleways and footpaths in the countryside. Most have a hard stony surface but some muddy patches are possible if we have any wet weather. We recommend:

  • adequate footwear, preferably hiking boots, with thick soles and good grip

  • waterproof jacket or umbrella for rain

  • sun hat if sunny

  • drink essential (1 - 2 litres)

  • packed lunch recommended.

Important to know

Although you don’t need to pay when you sign up for this event on Meetup or Eventbrite, we have a small annual membership subscription and we also invite a donation for each event. This is to cover the running costs of this Meetup Group including Meetup Organisers’ subscription, affiliations and other costs. This applies to everyone including guests who attends an event but you can pay at your first event.

Annual membership subscription

We have an nominal annual membership subscription of £1 if you join from 1st Jan - 30th June, 50p if you join from 1st July - 30th November and free if you join in December. You need to be an annual member to attend our events but you can join at the start of your first event. Annual members can also join our group email list and receive details of our walks programme. Annual membership is valid for both sections of our group, South Herts Hikers and South Herts Footpath Society.

Event donation

We also invite a donation of £3 per event so that would be £4.00 for your first hike after 1st Jan 2026 or £3.00 per event after that. Cash is preferred or you can use Paypal https://paypal.me/SouthHertsHikers

Please note our conventions and guidelines . From this Meetup Group’s home page https://www.meetup.com/southhertshikers/ see What we’re about > Read More

To summarise:

  • The walk leader sets the pace suitable for the slowest member. We stop from time to time to regroup. You may need extra clothing to put on for stops in colder weather.

  • We have members of different ages and genders and we like everyone to relate to each other on an equal basis.

  • We welcome members from different nationalities and cultures and we don’t quiz anyone about their background or country of origin, they can tell us if they like but this is optional.

  • We avoid heated debates or any discussions about controversial or unpleasant subjects.

For our policy on dogs on our hikes, please see our FAQ page, http://southhertshikers.uk/faq/